GOLDSBORO – Standing in the Wayne Learning Center on the Campus of Wayne Community College, Department of Cultural Resources Secretary Linda A. Carlisle announced today that the State Library of North Carolina, a Division of the Department of Cultural Resources, is awarding $4.9 million in federally funded grants for 162 local and statewide library projects for community outreach, library book collections, planning, and technology improvements and digitization of materials.
“Whether people are doing job searches, joining in summer
reading programs, or seeking information online, libraries are community gathering places,” Carlisle said. “This federal investment will help North Carolina libraries maintain their collections and provide the services and technology that help children, adults, students and life-long learners stay informed and connected.”
The grant funding is made possible by a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a federal grant making agency.
“Federal grants awarded by the State Library are critical during the current economic crisis when libraries are being challenged financially. Library use has grown exponentially and librarians are working diligently and creatively to meet the demands, while faced with shrinking budgets,” said State Librarian Mary Boone.
The LSTA grants are awarded in response to specific needs of public, academic, school and community college libraries.
The Wayne Community College Library received $19,986 in LSTA funds and provided close to $5,000 in matching funds to support its newest curriculum programs, Sustainable Technologies and Simulation and Game Development. The funding supports purchase of library materials to enhance the college curriculum and meet the students’ needs. Subject matter includes environmental engineering, green technology, renewable energy sources, solar energy, biomass energy, programmable logic devices, design simulation methods and computer games design.
West Wilkes Middle School in Wilkesboro was one of the schools to receive $10,000 in funding to enhance their library collection to provide current, accurate, and attractive books that support student achievement and the importance of reading.
The grant awards also address technology needs of libraries across the state. The Alamance County Public Libraries were awarded a grant of $29,552 matched by $7,388 in local funds to purchase new computers and software for a mobile computer lab that will be used to provide training to the public on how to access library resources.
North Carolina State University Libraries received $96,725 in funding to make archival materials easily accessible from anywhere, anytime. They are providing matching funds of $9,911. Architectural drawings and photographs of early 20th century architecture in N.C. will be digitized and online content developed to increase access and use of this unique collection. They are partnering with other institutions including the Asheville Art Museum, the J. Murrey Atkins Library at UNC-Charlotte, and the N.C. State Archives.
The complete list of awards can be found online http://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/lsta/lsta.htm.
Administered by the State Library, the Library Services and Technology Act state-based grant program funds projects across the state that enrich the lives of North Carolinians through enhanced and targeted programs and services in libraries, information for lifelong learning, and improving equal access to 21st century library service. LSTA is managed by IMLS which is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.
For more information about the State Library of North Carolina’s LSTA program contact Penny Hornsby at penny.hornsby@ncdcr.gov, or (919) 807-7420. The State Library’s LSTA web site is at http://www.statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/lsta/lsta.htm.
The State Library of North Carolina is an agency of the Department of Cultural Resources, the state agency with the mission to enrich lives and communities, and the vision to harness the state’s cultural resources to build North Carolina’s social, cultural and economic future. For more information on Cultural Resources programs, visit www.ncculture.com or call (919) 807-7385.